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Speeding: a National Catastrophe

Without the looking at the bigger picture, it is easy to ignore the damaging effects that speeding has on the entire country. Speeding leads to the death of tens of thousands of people while leaving millions with severe injuries.

For the second year running, more than 40,000 people lost their lives to road accidents. The statistics are on the rise despite carmakers putting more effort into producing safe cars. Such developments indicate that more drivers are continually breaking traffic rules and speeding.

On average, more than 100,000 speeding tickets are issued to motorists daily after a police radar gun clocks them. Annually, these tickets compound to over 41 million, translating into a ticket issued every second of the day.

An Impossible Toll

More than four and a half million people sustained injuries following traffic accidents that were severe enough to warrant medical attention in 2017. A study by the federal government found that traffic accidents cost the country more than $871 billion yearly. The study found that the economic costs of the accidents amount to $277 billion or an equivalent of $900 for every citizen.

The remaining $594 billion was due to the loss of life and a lowering in the quality of life due to injuries. The study cited speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence to be the leading causes of road accidents.

Spiking Costs

While the figures vary by state and the severity of the offence, a speeding ticket will set you back at least $150, inclusive of the court fees. However, that’s not the worst of it. If you’re convicted, you get bumped up to the high-risk driver category. A speeding ticket on your driving record translates to high insurance premiums.

You end up paying hundreds of dollars more compared to other drivers. Serious speed violation leads to expensive tickets and even greater increases in insurance premiums, often in the thousands.

Speeding is a serious traffic offence that leads to many motorists losing their lives. With the right equipment, law enforcement agencies can keep drivers in check.